Shadow Eater
by Rakusa
Summary: Started out as a comedy, then got a more sinister note. Usa's being terrorized, or is she, she, like the audience will just have to discover what the man wants, if she can get past his looks. Suspended, indefinitely, still like idea, will come back eventu
1. Part 1

Summary: Started out as a comedy, then got a more sinister note so… yeah. There's a new man on the scene, and it won't turn out how your thinking, read, find out, review.

Chapter 1

The fact that she was in trouble did not surprise her nor the fact that she got help by a mysterious man. No what _did_ surprise her was that the mysterious man wasn't the same one that helped her every other time she was in trouble. _That_ man showed up far too late to even see the creature attacking her.

Let's start again.

Sailor Moon was in an alley, no big shock there. The creature was female based, again no interesting development. The creature was hideous, not even worth mentioning the similarities between youmas. Sailor Moon being in trouble was so redundant that it was high time for one of two changes, actually getting hurt or not being in trouble and destroying the youma herself without any outside help.

This was not a time for either change. The source of help did. Instead of the cursory Rose gliding down in front of the youma, stopping it from exploring additional ground in her direction, it was stopped by an altogether different means.

A drop of pure red liquid fell onto the youma's outstretched arm. The youma paused shortly to look at it then up into the sky to see where it came from. The youma being on the low side of the brain scale did not think that it had some other purpose than distracting it long enough to let the girl go. The youma continued to trek towards Sailor Moon believing the red dot to be a fluke.

Before Sailor Moon's very eyes the youma started to scream and whither in pain. The red dot expanded traveling up, down and around the youma's arm, giving it a second skin fit and soon it was completely covered in the red liquid.

Sailor Moon not being used to this turn of events froze and stared in shock as the youma flopped on the ground like a fish out of water. Another common phrase that's been uttered one to many times was floated in the air and reached Sailor Moon's ears as if in a nightmare. "Do it now Sailor Moon."

Pulling out of her daze Sailor Moon finished off the youma, turning it into a red dust. That was unusual as well; the dust was normally a light brown or gray color. She turned as she heard footsteps walk out towards her. It was a mysterious man in black. She took a step back.

"Very well done Sailor Moon. I congratulate you on your quick reflects." His white teeth shone in the dull moonlight.

"Who are you?" She asked stepping away again.

"Why, your new partner of course." Again his teeth reflected jarringly.

"I don't have partners, and if I did you wouldn't be included." She unlike usual was distrusting of a new male face helping her out, too many times she had been burned by the generals pretending to be innocent people and underneath it all they had some goodness in them.

"So distrusting little princess? It is unlike you." He stepped further out of the shadows and into the light beaming down from the lantern. "Don't you want to give your old friend a hug?" He opened his arms wide for her to enter them.

She gasped at the sight of him. "Stay away from me." She warned, backing away further and hitting the wall.

"What do I need to do to gain your trust?" He mused. "Usually it doesn't matter what people look like, you accept all, but for some reason you won't except me." He ran his hand thoughtfully on his caved in cheek.

So much for being a mysterious _man_.

What Sailor Moon had earlier thought as wicked grins turned out to be him moving in and out of the light cast by the moon. His teeth were void of lips that were pulled back permanently past his gums by dark black stitches. His cheeks were caved in and the side he wasn't rubbing was rotten and looked like it was being eaten by flesh eating creatures. He had no eyebrows, instead there were singe marks where they used to be. One eye was swollen shut and the other was pulled to an odd angle by the same black thread. A white gooey liquid was running down his bare cheekbone. Upon his head were splotches of holes some that were white and crested over and others a beating, pulsing red that threatened to spill.

His teeth were unusually white for such a decrypted looking being, and his tongue had white sores all over it and turned brown in places that flashed in her sight as she saw it move when he talked. His nose was long and crooked, pulling off to one side with green dots clustered together at the edge. His ears were sagging and one looked like it had been partially bitten off by something other than human. His face was long and thin, made thinner by the years of age given to it by unnatural forces.

Sailor Moon shuddered as the living corpse walked towards her again. She looked up to see if there was anything she could use to fight or get out of here with. No luck, the buildings were all too high for her to jump onto and there were no emergency fire escapes. "Just stay right there." She demanded pointing a finger at him hoping he would listen, he did.

"Is that an order princess?" He asked sarcastically.

"Yes?" Sailor Moon stated uncertain.

"Are you sure?" He questioned.

She knew he was laughing at her and she firmed up her resolve to face him head on. "It's an order. Stay there and leave me alone."

"Silly Princess, you forgot protocol, that was two different orders." He chuckled and held out a hand to her. "Come with me, I've got something to show you."

Sailor Moon tried to keep her lunch from reappearing as she looked down at his skinless hand. Her sight transferred to the one he was using earlier and discovered that one was boneless. "No. Leave now, I command it." She blinked back tears at the strong stench he reeked burning her tear ducts.

"As you wish." He melted into the ground not more than a foot in front of her. He was gone completely, back to where he came from.

"Good riddance." Sailor Moon sighed before what had just happened made its impact and she sunk to the dirty ground, leaning against an equally clean wall. She buried her head into her hands.

She stayed that way until a figure dropped down beside her. He looked her over from a distance, she did not move and he thought maybe she had died; guilt and fear swamped his emotions. "Sailor Moon?" The voice was raspy due to fear but she only cowered believing that the monster had come back.

"Are you all right?" His hand covered her elbow and she jerked up and away. "Sailor Moon?" He asked concerned. "Did I get here too late? Did the youma hurt you?" He questioned softly, his warmth seeking into her skin, soothing her like nothing else could.

"Tuxedo Kamen?" She squeaked, finally _seeing_ him.

"Yes." He soothed, relief flooding him allowing him to be more supportive than usual. "What's wrong?" His voice was gentle and he pulled her to him. She buried her head into his chest. "What happened?"

"It was so terrible." Sailor Moon wailed.

"What was?" He rubbed his hand down Sailor Moon's back.

"It's too horrendous to repeat." She moaned, her arms seeking out his warmth. "I don't even want to recall it but its forever burned into my mind." She cried.

"Please Sailor Moon, you have to tell me. I must know what you were fighting." He coaxed.

She shook her head. "I can't. No. It's too bad, too frightening to put into words." She tightened her arms and tried to stifle her tears. "I should have known as soon as it started but I had gone into shock." Sailor Moon reluctantly removed herself from him. "I'll be fine, I've got to go home and try to wash this out of my system." With a voice horse from crying she turned her watery eyes on him. "Thank you for coming anyways."

"Sailor Moon." He called out for her but she was already gone.

It was odd calling her Sailor Moon but he couldn't call her Moonie in a situation like this. Then her pulling away from him was strange as well, she would have clung to him until he was sure she was all right and moved her away from him in any other situation. But then again she was starting to act more and more distant from him for weeks, just about the same time that he started dating a girl in his other form.

He left and went back to his apartment, _that_ girl had made plans to call in on him tonight and he wondered if he missed her.


	2. Part 2

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Chapter 2

When he got home a red light was blinking on his answer machine. He pushed the button as he changed back into his human form. "Mamo-chan." The person was his girlfriend and she sounded strained. "I guess your not home, which is actually probably a good thing."

"Why's that a good thing Usako?" Mamoru questioned his machine but he wouldn't get an answer.

"Your probably out having fun. I just remembered that I have something to do and we can't get together." She paused and he heard her take a deep breath. "If you do want to see me tonight at all, I might be heading to the Crown before it closes, I'm not sure though, bye." She hung up quickly without another word.

Mamoru sat down in a chair and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. What was with females tonight? First Sailor Moon and now Usagi. Was the whole female population suffering from mood swings?

Mamoru looked at the clock and noticed that it was an hour before closing. He might as well bother to show up. Something was bugging Usagi and he wanted to find out what it was.

He got to the Crown Arcade and Café and the bells chimed to note his arrival. Motoki, his best friend and owner's son was cleaning up when he entered. Motoki lifted his head from his work and sent him a concerned look. "Hey Motoki, what's up?" Mamoru asked sitting down at the counter.

"I might be mistaken but I think that's your girlfriend over there." He pointed to the blond haired girl with ordangos stirring her drink absentmindedly and staring out in the distance.

"What's the joke man? You know that's Usagi." Mamoru frowned at his friend, the two were really close, he didn't get what Motoki was thinking.

"No, Usagi's usually bubbling over with energy and chatting a mile a minute. This girl here ordered her drink and wouldn't make a peep else wise." Motoki leaned against the counter so he was facing Mamoru. "Did you do anything?"

"No." Mamoru stated dryly, his eyes tracking on Usagi, who didn't even look like she noticed his arrival, which was odd because Usagi had the uncanny knack of being able to sense his presence a block away, just like he did, but he didn't notice her until Motoki pointed her out today, something was extremely off.

"Perhaps then you better do something, it's not right for Usagi to be like that." Motoki shuddered as he sent another glance towards Mamoru s girlfriend.

Usagi knew Mamoru was there, she knew it as soon as he entered, the bell ringing had been the only thing to enter her subconscious mind but she couldn't get her eyes to cooperate and she preferred to stare out at nothing then have to face her boyfriend.

The reason she came here was to get out of the silent house with only her thoughts making any noise. Thinking the arcade would be filled to the brink with noise and teeming sound of children banging on the machines she bolted here as soon as she couldn't stand the quiet any more. But even here the noise was pushed away and filtered out, there weren't even that many people, it was like a ghost town in here. She shivered at what images ghost town brought up.

Mamoru sat down next to her and brought her face towards his. "Usako, what's up?" The words so much like Kamen's. Another reason to be regretting her decision to come here and telling him on top of it. She should have never accepted Kamen's embrace, when they were in battle it was a different story because he was saving her, not comforting her, that was Mamoru's job, and it was only worse because she still had feelings for the mysterious man.

She had told Mamoru where she was going to be because she wanted his comfort, not anybody else's, yet she was now regretting everything she did. "Usako." His gentle voice drew her out of stupor and she forced a smile onto her lips.

"Yes Mamo-chan? Sorry, I was lost in a thought."

"Really?" He ran his thumb over her jaw. "Motoki said that you've been quiet since you've entered. He's worried about you and he's not the only one."

Mamoru had changed greatly from the quiet man who kept to himself and wouldn't let anybody in to the man he was now, one who talked a lot and with many people, laughing with a few but the only time he was really happy was when he was with Usagi. When Usagi and Mamoru met he had been guarded and teased her to keep her out but it had backfired and she made a cozy spot for herself in his heart. Once they started dating it finalized his change into the man he was, with him caring for Usagi greatly and considerate of her feelings, he was even thinking of things to do to include her even more in his life and that also meant inviting her friends to gatherings he would have been alone at otherwise.

"I was?" Usagi blinked innocently at him before turning her attention to Motoki. "Sorry Toki-chan if you thought I was ignoring you!" She plastered on a huge smile for him and he nodded dumbly at the wattage behind it.

She turned back to Mamoru. "See? All good. So no worries."

Mamoru bit his tongue from saying what he wanted to and knew some times it was best to play along with the lie instead of forcing the truth out of a person. "Ok." He sighed. "Do you want to catch a movie or something?"

"Can we just take a booth and sit there for awhile?" Usagi wondered, picking up her drink to take a sip. Just talking to Mamoru was making her feel better.

"Sure." He stood up and waited for her to join him and walked with her to the table with his arm around her waist, his hand resting just above the curve of her backside. He sat down and slid in first and she followed him leaning against him as she drank her concoction. "Do you want to talk about anything?" He probed as she sat there soaking up his warmth and refraining from saying anything again.

"Not really." She sighed against him. "Did I ever tell you how comfy you are?"

Mamoru looked down and sure enough she was falling asleep.

Motoki walked over and broke the mood. "Don't you have a home to do that in?"

Usagi's eyes snapped open and she yawned before looking at Motoki. "I guess, but I never get any time alone with my boy toy here and I definitely wouldn't get that at home." Usagi cuddled into Mamoru some more and Mamoru sent Motoki a smug look.

"Whatever boy toy." Motoki slung back and Mamoru frowned as Motoki walked away laughing.

"Usako…" Mamoru pulled her higher so they were cheek to cheek instead of her resting her head on his chest. "Did you really have to call me that, especially in front of Motoki?"

"I was just teasing." Usagi pouted. "I didn't mean it, you really aren't my toy, just my cute lovely…" Usagi paused deciding what to call him and when he sent her a mock reprieve she popped her last word out quickly. "Mamo-chan!" Then she repeated the sentence to make it sound better. "My cute lovely Mamo-chan!"

His broad shoulders rose and fell over and over again in never ending laughter. "Kami Usako." He managed to get out and almost a minute later finished his thought. "You're too funny sometimes."

She lightly punched his shoulder. "You're one to talk." Her lower lip stuck out further in her attempt at a puppy dogface.

His eyes trained onto the action and his head descended towards her when an annoying beeping noise interrupted them and they knew it didn't come from the games behind them. Mamoru moaned as Usagi took her watch off her wrist. "Doesn't that mean you have to go?"

Usagi looked at her watch fearfully and stuffed it into her pocket. "Not today, it went off by accident, I forgot I set it to the wrong time." She licked her lips and looked into Mamoru's gorgeous dark blue eyes. "Where were we?" She asked desperate to regain her stability that had come back during the course of the time spent in his presence.

He grinned. "Come here you little imp." He slid his hand over the back of her neck and into her hair, pulling her head towards his.

Her watch beeped more frantically just as her lips started to brush his and she groaned, pushing it deeper into her pocket. She wouldn't have it; she wasn't going to face another demon tonight, and whatever might show up because of it. She just wouldn't.

"Usako." Mamoru s breath brushed against her lips. "Are you sure you don t have to go?" He wanted to know, the watch beeping more than once often meant that she did.

"I don t want to." She softly protested.

"But you have to." He concluded and she nodded sadly. "Then go, I'll be here for you, no matter what."

"No you won't." Usagi said her eyes flashing up into his.

"Yes I will." He repeated soundly.

"No you won't." Her voice took an inflection of laughter as she turned her face towards the door where Motoki was turning the sign to closed. "You'll be at home, or anywhere else, but not here, here will be closed to all that are currently occupying it." She shrugged her small shoulders. "Though since you're a friend of Motoki's he might be willing to allow you to stay for a while longer."

Usagi knew she was lingering and that she d have to account for her whereabouts but that didn't matter to her right now. What mattered was hanging onto this moment of peace, moment of freedom without fear.

"If you need me, I'll be where you can reach me." He reached out held her hand before bringing it up to kiss the knuckles. "Go Usako." He released her and she backed out of the booth her jean clad behind in the air as she did so. Mamoru chuckled at her antics. "Go before I change my mind."

Usagi titled her head to the side. "What does that mean?"

Mamoru growled and shot towards her, surprising her off the edge and she ended up on the ground. "Are you ok?" He asked looking down at her.

"Yes." She mumbled pushing herself off the ground and brushing off her backside. "Thank you for helping me up." She grumbled and started to walk out when a whack hit her butt. "Hey!"

Mamoru wagged his finger at her. "Don't talk that way to me, your cute lovely little Mamo-chan!"

She knew she'd eat her words and she was just about to respond to that when her watch beeped again, it wasn't really a watch but a communication device between senshi. "Bye." She leaned down and peaked his lips. "I've really got to go." She complained.

"Then go." He pushed her gently away. "Bye."

"Bye." Then she was gone.

"Jeez Mamoru, she's got you whipped." They were the only two still in the arcade and Motoki was now sitting across from him.

The familiar buzz vibrated through his fingers, telling him Sailor Moon had transformed and was either on her way to a fight or was already in one. When she was in trouble pain would replace the vibration and the more trouble the farther up his arm it would reach, just to spur him on because the vibration was something he could ignore.

"I've got to go Motoki." Mamoru stood up and bolted towards the door.

"But Mamoru-" Motoki called out but it was too late, Mamoru was already out of the door. Motoki sighed and finished picking everything up.


End file.
